"On behalf of the American Nurses Association, I congratulate Senator Barack Obama on his extraordinary, historic achievement of becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. The ANA recognizes how difficult this feat was with a field of many qualified candidates. We also congratulate Senator Hillary Clinton who fought, and will continue to fight, to ensure that all Americans receive high quality, affordable and accessible care.

ANA has been making presidential endorsements since 1984. The endorsement process includes: sending a questionnaire on nursing and health care issues to all of the Democratic and Republican candidates; sending an invitation to all of the democratic and republican candidates for a personal interview; and then engaging in an online survey of ANA’s membership regarding which candidate our members believe is most supportive of nursing’s agenda.

Now that Senator Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, the ANA looks forward to reaching out to Senators Obama and McCain about many of the specific issues our members care most about, specifically addressing safe and appropriate staffing. As nurses, we are on the front lines of patient care every day. We see dangerously overcrowded hospital emergency rooms—often because they are the only option for people without health insurance. It’s a problem for too many Americans. That’s why it’s imperative that our next president make health system reform a priority.

From the beginning of this campaign, we knew that this election year would be one for the history books, but it has also reminded us that we as a nursing profession cannot sit on the sidelines and watch – we need to be at the table. The ANA PAC Board will be reviewing its endorsement process and remaining options and hopes to make a new recommendation to the ANA Board.

The stakes of this 2008 Presidential Election are high and the future of nurses, patients, and health care is at stake. If nursing is not involved, someone else will speak for us. America’s 2.9 million registered nurses have long advocated for the critically needed reforms vital to the improvement of health care and will continue to use our power in the voting booth to make health care a priority. Nurses’ voices need to and must be heard in November!" ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR

Why does the ANA-PAC endorse a presidential candidate? How does the ANA-PAC decide which candidate to endorse? Learn how ANA’s extensive, non-partisan Presidential endorsement process led to Senator Clinton’s endorsement.

There were over a dozen candidates vying to become the next President of the United States. Each traveled the nation, spoke to the public, raised money, produced ads, and tried to win the support of voters. Learn about each of the candidates’ positions on healthcare, the answers they provided on ANA’s Candidate Questionnaire and MORE!

The Road to the White House is both lengthy and complex. What is Super Tuesday and why are the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses so important? What happens at the national conventions? What is the Electoral College? Find out about the steps the candidates take that lead them to Election Day, and perhaps to The White House.

Find out about election dates as well as critical deadlines for registering to vote and/or request absentees ballots. There are also phone numbers and links to your state election officials, who can answer any specific questions you might have about elections where you are.